Hofer earning opportunity to stay with Blues

Joel Hofer is going to stick around a little bit longer.
The 22-year-old goaltender was recalled from the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds under emergency conditions when Jordan Binnington was given a two-game suspension Thursday, but now that those two games are up, the emergency conditions designation has been removed, ensuring Hofer won't be returning to Springfield for now.
For the time being, the Blues will have three goaltenders on the roster.

In two NHL appearances this season, Hofer has stopped 65 of 67 shots, posting a 2-0-0 record with a 1.02 goals-against average and a .970 save-percentage. On Friday, Hofer helped the Blues to a 5-2 win against the Washington Capitals on the road, then stopped all 33 shots he faced in a 3-0 combined shutout with Thomas Greiss against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.
"I'm obviously super grateful for the opportunity they have given me," Hofer said after Sunday's win. "For me to come here and get two wins is really good. I don't really know what's going to happen here, but I'm just super grateful for my opportunity here."
"It's great to see him play well," Blues Head Coach Craig Berube said. "I think it does go a long way. He's coming up here and he's doing a good job and playing well. So he knows he can do the job."
In January, Hofer signed a two-year, one-way contract extension. He is projected to be the backup to Binnington next season.